Pakistan closed the border to Afghanistan in late November, after US warplanes attacked a pair of Pakistani military bases, killing 26 soldiers. The Pakistani parliament has conditioned reopening the border on the US agreeing to halt drone strikes and apologizing for the November attack.

In May the Pakistani cabinet empowered the military to negotiate an agreement with the US on the border issue at some lesser terms, but this too has stalled, with the US flat refusing to apologize for the attacks and has escalating the drone strikes. The fallback alternative, an increase in the fee for border crossings, was also condemned by the US as “price gouging.”

At this point it seemed pretty clear that the US wanted Pakistan to simply knuckle under on the issue and give the US back the route with no strings attached. Having repeatedly insisted that the US is “losing patience” with Pakistan over perceived slights, they are now making the demand more or less formal, insisting that Pakistan must not only take the constant US attacks, but be grateful and thank the US for the privilege.

3018810 Responseshttp%3A%2F%2Fnews.antiwar.com%2F2012%2F06%2F12%2Fus-pakistan-must-bite-the-bullet-on-supply-route-to-ease-tensions%2FUS%3A+Pakistan+Must+%27Bite+the+Bullet%27+on+Supply+Route+to+Ease+Tensions2012-06-13+00%3A53%3A08Jason+Ditzhttp%3A%2F%2Fnews.antiwar.com%2F%3Fp%3D30188 to “US: Pakistan Must ‘Bite the Bullet’ on Supply Route to Ease Tensions”

How about the most obvious of all solutions – A SINCERE apology and payment of compensation for the murdered soldiers?
With power comes responsibility and with the power that the US holds should come responsibility TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

Pakistan "must"? Oh yeah? What is Uncle Sam gonna do if "must" is missing in the Pakistan diplomatic dictionary? Stomp His feet? Hold His breath 'til He turns blue?

"Price gouging"? Uncle Sam, the genial free-trading capitalist merchant that He claims to be, doesn't seem to recognize the free market at work! He wants X & Mr. Pakistan has the only one available. Mr. Pakistan is obligated to his shareholders – citizens of Pakistan – to extract the highest profet possible.

During the American civil war….. wounded soldiers who required their limbs amputated were given a bullet to bight down on during the intense pain they would feel…. Hence that expression "bite the bullet" It is not a term of diplomacy, but one of war and loss………